Self-adjusting bench clamp



March 4, 19.24.I 1,485,906

E. BONHAM ET AL SELF ADJUSTING BENCH CLAMP Filed May 9. 1923 Patented Mar. il, 19242:..

EDWIN -BONHAM AND JOSEPH C. VJ'ILTBNK, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

SELF-ADJUSTING -BENCHf CLAMP.

Application .filed May '9,

TofaZZ whom t may concern:

Be itknown that we, 'EDWIN BoNi-IAM and JOSEPH CQlVIL'rnANK, citizens of the United States, residing at 526 'Rex Place and 5th and Cooper Streets, respectively, Camden, in the county of Camden and State of N ew Jersey,'have invented new and useful 'improvements in a Self- Lldjusting Bench Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

'Our invent-ion relates toa new and useful improvement in a self adjusting bench clamp,

and has for its object toprovide .anexceedingly simple and effective device of this description which canbe made entirely oftwo simple castings of such design that the deing lwhatever and 'without screws nand bolts.

Ariffurther object of our inventioniis to provide for the guidance .ofzione member'of the clamp'uponthe other` so :as to cause the clamping surfaces to always maintain parallelism.

A still further object of our invention is to so construct the device that the movable member may be readily removed from the stationary and rep-laced when the occasion requires.

`l/Vith these ends in View, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims,

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how to make and use the same, we will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which :-f

Fig. l, is a plan view of our improved clamp.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a section of the line 3-3 looking in the direction of the arrow.

In carrying out our invention as here embodied l represents the stationary member which consists of a V shaped casting having the holes 2 formed therein for the passage of a suitable screw for securing this member of the device to a bench, board or other sur-A 1923. Serial V1\To637,663.

6 represents the sliding ymember which consists of a single wedged shaped casting having 4formed therewith a clamping aw 7 stationary Ijaw andthe clamping jaw'7 as willbe readily-understood.

in practice we'preferto form a web 10 to' serve as a brace' or strengthener'betweenth'e guide flange and'the stationaryjawso asto prevent breakage or undue strain at this point.

F rom the foregoing the operation of our improved clamp will be obvious as follows The stationary memberhaving been secured to the bench or suitable surface as above described the sliding member is readily placed in position by holding the same at such an angle that the bar may pass within the slot e after which, by swinging the sliding member in the proper alignment and tilting it upward sufficient to permit the lip to pass through the guide flange and then lowering this stationary member the device will be assembled.

To clamp a board of any thickness within the range of capacity of the device it is only necessary to pass said board between the stationary aw and the clamping aw and force the end thereof against thebar 8 which will cause the sliding member to move forward gradually bringing the clamping jaw toward the stationary jaw until a firm hold is taken upon the board. Thereafter any further forward thrust upon the board such as is occasioned by planning will only serve to tighten the grip of the clamp.

Then it is desired to remove the board from the clamp it is only necessary to strike the bar 8 a light blow in the reverse direction causing the sliding member to move backward sufliciently to permit the board to be removed; or where the grip upon the board is not excessive the raising of the outer end of the board tilting the latter up-v ward will cause the sliding member to follow its tilting movements and thereby release the board.

Of course we do not wish to be limited to the exaetjdetails of construction as herein shown as these may be varied within the limitsk of the appended claims without'departing from theV spirit or' our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention; what we claim as new and useful is l. A self adjusting clamp ofthe Character described Consisting or' a stationary member lcast in V shape having a jaw and a guidev flange, and a sliding member cast in wedge shape having a lip adapted to travel upon the guide ange and also having a barV adapted to project through a longitudinal slot formed in the stationary jaw.

2. ln a clamp of the eharacterdescribed the combination of a stationary member having a jaw 'formed therewith and also havin@ a Guide flange formed therewith' a Y b D C 3 sliding member having a Clamping jaw formedV therewith; a bar projecting therefrom adapted to travel in the slot formed in the stationary jaw and also having formed therewith a lip adaptedto travel Y upon the Vguide liange for maintaining parallelism between the two j aws.V

' 3. In a clamp of the character described a stationary member Cast in a single piece having a jaw formed therewith; a longitudinal slot formed therein and a guide flange formed therewith; a sliding member orn wedge shape cast in a single piece having a clamping jaw formed therewith; a bar projecting 1from the `Clamping aw into said longitudinal slot and a lip formed with the sliding member and adapted to travel upon said guide flange. Y

4. The herein described combination of a stationary member having holes therethrough for the passage of screws; a jaw formed upon said stationary member; a

guide Flange also formed upon said'stationary member; a web connecting the jaw and flange; a sliding member adapted to move back and iorth between the stationary jaw and the guide flange7 a bar formed with and projecting from the sliding' member and adapted to travel in a longitudinal slot formed in the stationary jaw and a lip also formed with the sliding member and adapted to overlap and travel upon the guide flange for maintaining parallelism between Ythe stationary jaw and the elampingjaw.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures.

EDW'IN BONHAM. j JOSEPH C. WILTBANK. 

